MIAMI – The Miami Police Department said they have a real estate agent in custody who is accused of hunting homeless people.
Law enforcement officials have referred to Willy Suarez Maceo, 25, as a serial killer. He was originally arrested in December for lesser charges, Law Officer reported.
Now, the charges have been upgraded. Police said two homeless victims were shot and killed right before Christmas. Suarez-Maceo has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, WSVN reported.
A news conference was held Friday afternoon with Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez and Miami Police Interim Chief Manuel Morales to discuss the updated charges.
The State Attorney’s Office said there is surveillance video of who they called a serial killer in action, the news outlet reported.
“We were able to discover a video of the shooting on Miami Avenue, where it revealed that a black vehicle had driven up to the location where the victim was laying down on the ground and shot at him several times,” said Morales.
“Having an unknown killer striking out at random victims is like no other type of crime to solve,” said Fernandez Rundle.
According to investigators, Maceo rolled through the city in his black Dodge Charger, attacking victims in the process.
Footage showed him back on Oct. 16 parking his vehicle near the location of a fatal stabbing in downtown Miami, authorities said in a WSVN report. Surveillance video showed him walking toward the murder scene and two minutes later running away from it, authorities declared.
“You will see him now coming back, running away from the scene, and again he’s captured on the security camera there,” Rundle said.
HAPPENING NOW: Press Conference in my office with @MiamiMayor @MoralesMiamiPD @AAguilarMPD & @ATFmiami to announce the arrest & charging of Willy Suarez Maceo in the night-time murders of 2 homeless men & the attempted murder of a 3rd homeless man, all @CityofMiami. pic.twitter.com/rThsW12Nw3
— Kathy Rundle (@KathyFndzRundle) February 4, 2022
@ATFMiami SAC Robinson & ASAC Mercer join @KathyFndzRundle @MiamiPD @MiamiMayor @AAguilarMPD @CGauseMPD @TCarrollMPD to announce the arrest & charges of Willy Suarez Maceo for the senseless murders of two homeless men & the attempted murder of a third. pic.twitter.com/rZl38bBncL
— ATF Miami (@ATFMiami) February 4, 2022
On Dec. 21, he reportedly shot a homeless man with a 9mm handgun. Later that day, he allegedly rolled up on a sleeping man and fatally opened fire on him from the vehicle with the same weapon in a homicide previously described by Morales. Investigators say the casings from both crimes match, Law&Crime reported.
Detectives were able to identify and arrest him since they managed to get his license plate from the footage. They also found him in possession of the weapon, according to police.
Prior Report
Dec. 24, 2021
MIAMI — The Miami Police Department announced Thursday that they have a real estate agent in custody who is accused of hunting homeless people.
Willy Suarez Maceo, 25, was initially arrested early Thursday morning on a trespassing charge. However, Interim Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said the man is going to be charged with one count of murder and another of attempted murder, Fox News reported.
Law enforcement authorities believe Maceo is responsible for two shootings that occurred about two hours apart on Tuesday evening. One victim was killed while the other survived.
According to detectives, video surveillance footage placed Maceo’s car at one of the attacks, and then ballistics testing showed the same gun was used in both shootings.
“Homeless individuals, for no apparent reason had been brutally targeted,” said Morales, according to WSVN.
Detectives were also trying to determine if Maceo is connected to a shooting from October, officials said.
“The fact that this particular person preyed on the most vulnerable in our community is particularly upsetting,” said Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
“This tragic news cuts to the heart of our community,” said Ronald L. Book, chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. “No one should be the victim of gun violence let alone our most vulnerable, those experiencing homelessness. We stand ready to work with City of Miami Police Department in any way necessary to help solve this senseless crime.”
The motive behind the shootings remains unclear. It is unknown if Maceo is cooperating with investigators.
According to WSVN, records show the accused shooter is a licensed real estate broker; Century 21 lists him as working in Miami, Kendall, South Miami and Palmetto Bay.
